Washington Nationals Activate Pitcher Recovered from Tommy John Surgery

The Washington Nationals made three pre-game moves before Saturday’s game with the Boston Red Sox, all involving pitchers.

Through their Nationals Communications account on X (formerly Twitter), the team announced that right-handed pitcher Mason Thompson returned from a rehab assignment and was reinstated from the 60-day injured list, making him active for the game.

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Washington had to make two moves to accommodate him. The Nationals optioned right-handed pitcher Zach Brzykcy to Triple-A Rochester to make room on the 26-man roster and then moved transferred right-handed pitcher Derek Law to the 60-day injured list, taking him off the 40-man roster to make room for Thompson

Thompson, a 27-year-old pitcher from Round Rock, Texas, underwent Tommy John surgery in February of 2024 and has been working his way back to the Majors since then. It was his second Tommy John surgery. He had his first while he was in high school.

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During his rehab assignment he went 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in seven games (one start), with 13 strikeouts and five walks in eight innings. He allowed batters to hit .364 against him.

He broke into the Majors in 2021 with the San Diego Padres and joined the Nationals as part of a trade later that season. He pitched parts of the 2022 and 2023 seasons with Washington before the injury.

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He is 6-8 with a 4.53 ERA in 106 appearances, all in relief, with 82 strikeouts and 46 walks in 103.1 innings. He has allowed batters to hit .280 against him lifetime.

Brzykcy is in his second year in the Majors and with the Nationals. He pitched in 23 games this season with a 0-1 record and a 7.40 ERA. He struck out 22 and walked 10 in 20.2 innings. This is the third time this season he’s been optioned back to Rochester.

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Law has been on the injured list since before opening day with right elbow inflammation. He has been on a rehab assignment since June 19, first at Double-A Harrisburg and then at Rochester. In four games (three starts) he is 0-1 with an 11.57 ERA, with two strikeouts and two walks in 4.2 innings.

He is 23-18 with a 3.69 ERA in his MLB career, which started with the San Francisco Giants in 2016.  

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